I have a 2016 Soft Top Club that I daily drive in Northern Illinois. The has been thru Ice & Snow storms / heavy monsoon type rain. Every bad weather condition the top has not leaked or failed to hold up. A change over to winter tires makes driving in snow really fun. I use a 303 Convertible Top Kit that contains a cleaner & fabric guard. During manual car washes I use the 303 top cleaner with a soft brush. In the fall I use the fabric guard with foam brushes to apply it & the top repels water very well. The Top looks like the day I drove it off the dealer lot. Also the key to preventing leaks is don't park under trees. I park away from trees so the soft top filters don't get clogged with debris. Use a sunshade for hot summer days not a shade tree ! The car has been perfect in the 4 season weather. The increased view lines with the top down is amazing.
I lived in suburb of chicago and always want to own a miata. however, the weather and soft top made me worry a lot. I wonder if it is livable with miata as a daily drive? otherwise, may be RF would be a better choice ? how about the AC in summer and heating in winter time? just curious ?
@@yangtaotai Both the A / C in summer & the Heater in Winter are great. It takes little time to make the cabin as comfortable as you want ! With the A/C blasting in summer stop & go it takes away from engine power but same for the RF. I usually switch off the A/C at lights until moving again anyway.
You all probably dont give a shit but does anybody know a tool to log back into an instagram account? I was dumb forgot the account password. I appreciate any assistance you can offer me.
@Walker Isaias thanks so much for your reply. I got to the site through google and Im trying it out atm. Looks like it's gonna take quite some time so I will reply here later when my account password hopefully is recovered.
Hey Jimmy, can you comment on highway noise between RF and the soft top? Is the RF a lot better? How about during winter times when it's cold? I'm seriously considering getting one as my daily driver for all year around and is torn between RF and soft top. Thanks!
@@kevinlee3597 it definitely is quieter but driving in the soft top it’s not bad. I think you’ll be more comfortable in the RF it’s warmer and quieter but the full drop top is nice when the weather is nice. It’s a hard call for sure.
In terms recommending the soft top or RF, you also need to consider the climate/country you live in. Here in Australia where a cold Winter’s day is 14 degrees, and I’d imagine with a lot less rain than Canada, my ND soft-top is usable pretty much all year round.Basically if it’s not raining the roof is off. I’d feel claustrophobic in the RF, and the soft-top just looks better-I think so anyway. Perhaps in Canada the RF does make more sense.
I think on the NE Mazda needs to dump the dashboard screen as it detracts from the overall aesthetics. I think the screen needs to be fully integrated into the gauge cluster. This would smooth out the dash and put everything where it needs to be in a driver focused car.
you are forgetting that the extra weight is up top, where as there is less weight up top on the rag top. You don't want a top heavy vehicle and any weight added is more weight been thrown into corners as well. More wind noise on RF (when roof lowered) and roof is slower with less visibility and less of that open air feel. All that said they are simply both great and unless you are going to track your mx 5 (roll bar) , there is many bonuses to owning a RF. Guess it all depends what you want.
@@TLouski it does move, i can see what you are saying the engine is below ect but the pieces are up top (adds weight up there) and there is those hard fixed pieces up top as well. Some people say it just feels more rigid and settled which makes sense as you would seem to have more rigidity due to solid fixed pieces. Guess it depends what you want. For the pure enthusiast i would go with rag top. You can always put the roll bar in which would make the rigidity go up and of course that adds weight as well but it bolts in the floor and i am guessing the weight would be more evenly distributed is my guess. All guessing here of course. Both are great cars, pick the one you like or fits your lifestyle more. Both have trade offs. Oh and looks wise that roofline on the RF looks great. At end of day i want less weight and more performance even if it is marginally better, so rag top with roll bar for me.
@@DoYouThinkForUrselF True that COM will be higher, but the roof parts are all aluminium and all in all ~45 Kg more mass, with the major part going into the mechanical parts in the rear. Its that minimal, you might argue about driver height influencing COM at that point.
The Mazda3 turbo engine is like a diesel engine with low end torque but no power above 5000rpm. It wouldn't suit a sports car at all. If you really want more power, ND1 engine with supercharger will make around the same horsepower, but will be a lighter package with a more enjoyable powerband.
Omg how soft are people today...."too cold". I have a 981 boxster s and f tyoe v6 s and cant wait to drive them top down on cold days.....this is coming from an NC roadster coupe ex owner. MX5's are brilliant engaging cars.
This car will be my mild life crysis car
This guy was having a good time in the car LOL
Gotta have fun in a MX-5!
I have a 2016 Soft Top Club that I daily drive in Northern Illinois. The has been thru Ice & Snow storms / heavy monsoon type rain. Every bad weather condition the top has not leaked or failed to hold up. A change over to winter tires makes driving in snow really fun. I use a 303 Convertible Top Kit that contains a cleaner & fabric guard. During manual car washes I use the 303 top cleaner with a soft brush. In the fall I use the fabric guard with foam brushes to apply it & the top repels water very well. The Top looks like the day I drove it off the dealer lot. Also the key to preventing leaks is don't park under trees. I park away from trees so the soft top filters don't get clogged with debris. Use a sunshade for hot summer days not a shade tree ! The car has been perfect in the 4 season weather. The increased view lines with the top down is amazing.
I lived in suburb of chicago and always want to own a miata. however, the weather and soft top made me worry a lot. I wonder if it is livable with miata as a daily drive? otherwise, may be RF would be a better choice ? how about the AC in summer and heating in winter time? just curious ?
@@yangtaotai Both the A / C in summer & the Heater in Winter are great. It takes little time to make the cabin as comfortable as you want ! With the A/C blasting in summer stop & go it takes away from engine power but same for the RF. I usually switch off the A/C at lights until moving again anyway.
Great review and video bro! Hi from Houston, TX!
Thank you! Appreciate it.
Surprised you haven’t broken 1k yet man. Great review. I LOL’d at the brake test 😂
Almost there! Thanks for watching!
You all probably dont give a shit but does anybody know a tool to log back into an instagram account?
I was dumb forgot the account password. I appreciate any assistance you can offer me.
@Ricky Johnny instablaster ;)
@Walker Isaias thanks so much for your reply. I got to the site through google and Im trying it out atm.
Looks like it's gonna take quite some time so I will reply here later when my account password hopefully is recovered.
@Walker Isaias it did the trick and I finally got access to my account again. I'm so happy:D
Thanks so much you really help me out :D
Sometimes I wish I can just keep the MX-5, it's just so much fun!
Hey Jimmy, can you comment on highway noise between RF and the soft top? Is the RF a lot better? How about during winter times when it's cold?
I'm seriously considering getting one as my daily driver for all year around and is torn between RF and soft top.
Thanks!
@@kevinlee3597 it definitely is quieter but driving in the soft top it’s not bad. I think you’ll be more comfortable in the RF it’s warmer and quieter but the full drop top is nice when the weather is nice. It’s a hard call for sure.
In terms recommending the soft top or RF, you also need to consider the climate/country you live in. Here in Australia where a cold Winter’s day is 14 degrees, and I’d imagine with a lot less rain than Canada, my ND soft-top is usable pretty much all year round.Basically if it’s not raining the roof is off. I’d feel claustrophobic in the RF, and the soft-top just looks better-I think so anyway. Perhaps in Canada the RF does make more sense.
Totally!
I like the look of the RF over the soft top. Plus for me, I get the best of both worlds. Open top and close top driving experience.
I think on the NE Mazda needs to dump the dashboard screen as it detracts from the overall aesthetics. I think the screen needs to be fully integrated into the gauge cluster. This would smooth out the dash and put everything where it needs to be in a driver focused car.
Would be nice to see!
No room in the dash now . The dash room inside is all used .
@@gregblack4581 naw…you make the whole gauge cluster a screen then integrate everything.
Great video, also... You remind me a lot of Matt Moran lol
Haha thanks!!
Balance is actually better in the RF. Almost a perfect 50/50 distribution.
Front 49.78% / Rear 50.27% and Left 50.43% / Right 49.57% - on an RF without driver. Absolutely spectacular f/r and cross weight.
you are forgetting that the extra weight is up top, where as there is less weight up top on the rag top. You don't want a top heavy vehicle and any weight added is more weight been thrown into corners as well. More wind noise on RF (when roof lowered) and roof is slower with less visibility and less of that open air feel. All that said they are simply both great and unless you are going to track your mx 5 (roll bar) , there is many bonuses to owning a RF. Guess it all depends what you want.
@@DoYouThinkForUrselF Yeah it isn't top heavy tho. The weight is mostly in the mechanism which resides behind the cockpit. I drive a 19' RF.
@@TLouski it does move, i can see what you are saying the engine is below ect but the pieces are up top (adds weight up there) and there is those hard fixed pieces up top as well. Some people say it just feels more rigid and settled which makes sense as you would seem to have more rigidity due to solid fixed pieces. Guess it depends what you want.
For the pure enthusiast i would go with rag top. You can always put the roll bar in which would make the rigidity go up and of course that adds weight as well but it bolts in the floor and i am guessing the weight would be more evenly distributed is my guess. All guessing here of course. Both are great cars, pick the one you like or fits your lifestyle more. Both have trade offs. Oh and looks wise that roofline on the RF looks great. At end of day i want less weight and more performance even if it is marginally better, so rag top with roll bar for me.
@@DoYouThinkForUrselF True that COM will be higher, but the roof parts are all aluminium and all in all ~45 Kg more mass, with the major part going into the mechanical parts in the rear.
Its that minimal, you might argue about driver height influencing COM at that point.
I cannot believe that man actually gets paid for doing that work he’s having too much fun on the job LOL
But.... I don’t get paid LOL
saw a red one on the highway today. cooler than a 911
Awkward? RF is gorgeous!
Everyone is a bit different, some thinks the proportion are a bit awkward comparing to the ragtop
Great review! Loved the part about maybe (wink, wink) getting it sideways off camera lol.
Haha thanks!
Glad you aren’t the type to make that car go sideways.... off camera..... maybe 1 or 2.... or more like 5 times. 🚗
But no more than 5
No way did 0 to 60 take 5.8 with that sheepskin on a wet road.....
Sorry wheelspin (autosomal!)
Nope, I didn't. Times were taking from our media outlets
this car needs the mazda 3 2.5 turbo engine.
Would be quite a bit for the amount of weight it has. It's a good balance with the power from the ND2
@@JimmyMak is it faster than the new mazda 3 turbo?
@@havoc7154 yes, the ND2 is faster than the Mazda 3 turbo.
The Mazda3 turbo engine is like a diesel engine with low end torque but no power above 5000rpm. It wouldn't suit a sports car at all.
If you really want more power, ND1 engine with supercharger will make around the same horsepower, but will be a lighter package with a more enjoyable powerband.
No...it doesn’t. If that’s what you want then buy a Mustang.
Omg how soft are people today...."too cold". I have a 981 boxster s and f tyoe v6 s and cant wait to drive them top down on cold days.....this is coming from an NC roadster coupe ex owner. MX5's are brilliant engaging cars.